Mood:  incredulous

I think I am safe to post this since I live down south and have a very southern wife. Enjoy!

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Mood:  a-ok

Unless this is the first time that you have come to my blog, you are well aware that I review homeschool items for The Old Schoolhouse (TOS) Homeschool Crew. Last year was my first year on the crew, and when I was asked to come back again this year, it was a no brainer for me. Not because of all of the great homeschool stuff that I get to review. Yes, that is a perk, but the real reason is because I have grown to love TOS and it's people. They have become more than just co-workers or leaders or bosses, they have become my friends. My lifelong friends. That's just the way that TOS is. It's not a company of cut throat individuals that are just trying to climb the ladder. It's a company of people that have a real heart for homeschooling and for homeschoolers. When you talk to the people at TOS it is like talking to friends over a cup of coffee. And that attitude carries over into everything that TOS does. From the homeschool materials that they produce, to the TOS Homeschool Crew, to the magazine that they produce. All are done with a loving caring attitude.

That's why I was so thrilled to hear about this most recent offer. I always thought that The Old Schoolhouse Magazine was reasonably priced for everything that is packed into each issues, but now the price is unbelievable. From now until September 15, TOS is offering a one year subscription (beginning with the winter issue) of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine for only $7.95. Or, you can add the fall issue to the deal and it will only cost you $12.95. That would be five total jam packed issues for just a little over $2.50 a piece. And, believe me, the TOS Magazine is jam packed. All you have to do is click here to get to the subscription page.

This campaign is cleverly called "A Labor of Love", obviously because of the Labor Day holiday coming up, but, more than that, because the magazine really is a labor of love. If you haven't tried the magazine, now is the time to try it out. I think you'll find out that what I am talking about is true. Just click on the link above to experience The Old Schoolhouse Magazine for yourself!

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Mood:  sad

So, this evening I'm forgoing my usual blog post just to ask for prayer for my classmate. Her name is Cathy Lingle Stevens and I believe that she has three teenage sons. She is under hospice care and could die at any time. Thanks for all of your prayers and thanks, Lisa, for passing the news on to me.

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Mood:  caffeinated

Ah yes! It's been one of those days. We were up early because this was the first day of Upward Flag Football. It wasn't that we had to be up early, mind you. Our game wasn't until 10am. It wasn't even that we wanted to be up early. I had every intention of sleeping in until at least 8 or maybe even 8:30. You must remember that we have an interesting creature living in our household. A creature named Joshua. Joshua is our aspergers (autism spectrum) child and has been going through a difficult time of it recently. He has been on medication for a few years and just switched medicines. He went from one family of medications to another and it has not been working well. Nothing major, he has just been off the wall. Talks continuously, has no attention span, laughs at inappropriate things. Needless to say, a doctors visit is in order for this coming week. Anyway, another reaction to this new medicine is waking up way too early. Hence the no sleeping in part.

Well, after the big first game (he did great) we came home for a short rest before we went out to a benefit fund raiser for a local charity that we work closely with. Only, we never made it to the benefit. Joshua, in his exuberance from the earlier game, decided that he wanted to go over to the next door neighbor's house to play football with one of his friends. However, he wasn't supposed to leave the yard. So, I sent John Allen over to get him only to have Jacob tag along with big brother. A few minutes later a screaming four year old comes running into the mission where I was working. He had fallen into the neighbor's cactus and...you guessed it...his hands were full of needles. Forty-five minutes of screaming and tweezer picking made us realize that our feeble efforts were not working. Off to the hospital went Sarah, Jacob and big brother John Allen while I stayed home with the very repentant Joshua. It's amazing what one of those magnifying eye pieces can do. The doctor had the rest of the needles out in short order and Jacob called me on Mommy's phone to tell me four words, "I feel better now" before handing the phone to Sarah and getting back to his popsicle.

A trip to the McDonald's play place was in order for all of us. Sarah and I needed the kids to run off steam, Jacob needed to celebrate hands that feel better, John Allen needed a reward for standing by Jacob in need, and Joshua needed to know that his brothers still loved him. It was a lesson well learned as to what can happen when you disobey.

So, tomorrow's another day. Up early for church, the mission in the afternoon, then church again in the evening. Intermingled, of course, with life's adventures!  

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Mood:  happy

1. Creative Learners
2. The Homeschool Desk
3. Ramblin' Roads
4. The Stewards Steno
5. Mama Manuscripts
6. Train Up a Child
7. We Love to Homeschool
8. Day by Day in Our World
9. Acorns - or Homeschooling Nuggets of Gold
10. The Berry Patch

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